Which Factors Influence a Company’s Evaluation of the Contribution of Basic Research to Innovation?

• Main Authors: Hiromi S. Nagane, Koichi Sumikura
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Carleton University 2020-08-01
• Series: Technology Innovation Management Review
• Subjects: basic research; biotech start-ups; innovation; pharmaceutical companies; university and public research institute
• Online Access: https://timreview.ca/timreview.ca/article/1379

This paper empirically analyses how individuals in companies evaluate the contributions of basic research by universities and public research institutes to industry from multiple perspectives: manager as a spokesperson of the company (science-based industry or others), position within the company (managers or inventors), affiliations of inventors (large pharmaceutical companies or biotech start-ups), and educational background. This paper focuses on the case of Japan. Questionnaire surveys were sent to managers and inventors in established companies and start-ups across several industries. This study found that, 1) the more science-oriented the company, the higher their managers evaluate academic research, 2) inventors evaluate academic research more highly than managers, 3) inventors from biotech start-ups evaluate academic research more highly than inventors from large companies in the pharmaceutical industry, and 4) the more advanced their educational background, the more highly inventors evaluate academic research. This study suggests that 'closeness to science' is an important factor for companies to evaluate contributions of basic research to innovation. The findings also suggest that problems within the current educational system are an indirect cause of the innovation crisis in Japan.